The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja Oluyede, has relocated to Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, in response to the alarming surge in violent attacks by suspected herdsmen and militia groups on local communities.
The attacks—now occurring with disturbing frequency—have left scores of people dead, many others seriously injured or permanently maimed, and dozens of homes burnt to the ground, displacing entire communities.
General Oluyede, deeply troubled by the deteriorating security situation, departed Abuja early Tuesday morning along with his Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) and senior officers from the Army Headquarters. His mission is to conduct a firsthand assessment of the crisis and develop strategic military responses to end the violence.
Upon arrival, the Army Chief immediately ordered the deployment of additional troops to Benue to reinforce ongoing operations. The objective, military sources told Daily Sun, is to give the armed groups—believed to be a mix of herders and militia elements—”the battle of their lives.”
During his stay in the state, General Oluyede will hold a series of high-level meetings with operational and unit commanders to brainstorm and reassess the tactics being used in current operations. The aim is to chart a new path forward that will effectively curb the continued killings.
The COAS will also tour troop locations and operational bases across the state to directly interact with soldiers on the ground, boost morale, and ensure adequate support for those in combat roles. Additionally, he is expected to visit several of the communities recently attacked, where he will reassure residents of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting innocent lives and restoring peace and stability.
Sources indicate that the Army Chief, angered by the continued bloodshed, may carry out strategic changes in the leadership of military operations in the area. These changes, which could involve the redeployment of new commanders, are expected to take place imminently as part of a broader effort to decisively end the crisis.
General Oluyede is also expected to personally lead operations at the front lines during his stay in Benue, further signaling the Army’s intensified resolve to confront the perpetrators of the attacks head-on.
This relocation to Benue echoes a similar move by the COAS a few weeks ago, when he temporarily based himself in Borno State following a spike in terrorist attacks on troop locations and communities previously liberated from insurgents. His presence and direct leadership during that period led to a significant reduction in attacks, with troops carrying out successful clearance operations and confronting terrorist strongholds.
The Benue crisis has increasingly drawn national attention, with many describing the continuous killings as a form of ethnic cleansing. Suspected herdsmen have targeted rural communities, unleashing attacks with firearms and machetes, killing indiscriminately.
Just this past Sunday, no fewer than 43 people were killed in renewed assaults on several communities in Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas (LGAs). The attacks came barely a week after suspected militia shot and injured a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, along the Makurdi–Naka Road. That same week, herdsmen launched attacks on four communities in Gwer West, including the hometown of Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, killing 42 people—including a Mobile Police officer.
As the situation continues to spiral, the COAS’s relocation to Benue underscores the urgency and seriousness with which the Nigerian Army is tackling the crisis. The coming days are expected to be pivotal, as intensified military operations get underway in a bid to finally end the killings and restore peace to the region.
